JJ
“Mimi,”Avery yells, darting into the family suite and straight into my mother’s arms.
My dad grins down at her. “Doesn’t Pops get a hug?”
Head thrown back, Avery giggles. “You have to wait your turn, Pops. Don’t you know the rules?”
My parents are laughing and loving on my little girl as I stroll in with Adeline by my side. As promised, she and Avery are wearing matching pink Tennessee jerseys with Theo’s name and number on the back. I’m not sure how she got them on such short notice, but if anyone in Boston has connections, it’s the Langfield crew.
Everyone we know is here. Adeline’s parents, mine, her aunts and uncles, my aunts and uncles, and too many cousins to name.
Though my sister couldn’t make the trek, she will be in town for Thanksgiving, and Avery is ecstatic to see her.
“Aw, look at you and Addie,” my mother says to Avery, a knowing glint in her eye as she peers up at me. “You match perfectly.”
“That’s because Addie is my best friend. She even sleeps with Daddy so he isn’t lonely.”
Three feet away, Beckett whips around, glowering. “Excuse me.” As he stalks toward us, my mind scrambles for a response.
Adeline shuffles forward. “Dad, that’s not?—”
“She literally means sleep,” I choke out, pretty damn certain I’m about to die.
Behind me, Gracie yells, “Uncky JJ is the best to Addie. He gave her a pink penis. Lots of them.”
Adeline groans and Hope slaps a hand over Grace’s mouth.
“Pinkpeonies,” I enunciate.
My father’s eyes are dancing with amusement and my mother is trying to hold in a laugh, but Beckett is red. So fucking red.
“Why are you giving my daughter flowers, JJ?”
“Dad,” Adeline grinds out.
Beckett’s attention doesn’t leave my face.
“I gave them to all the girls in the house. Moms and kids alike. Gracie discovered them in Aiden’s yard and wanted them, so I asked him if I could bring one for Gracie, and he cut me an entire bushel.”
“What about me?” Aiden asks, popping up right when I need him.
Adeline recounts the story for Aiden, and everyone else seems to move on when Aiden confirms that he in fact did cut all those flowers for everyone and I didn’t just give Adeline peonies,or my goddamn penis.
But Beckett still stares like he knows there’s more to the story.
Of course there is. He knows Adeline is it for me. Hell, probably every person in this room does.
Doesn’t change our situation. Nothing can happen.
Not until the end of the season, at least.
Adeline takes Avery’s hand. “Hey, Avey, want to grab a cookie with me?”
My little girl bounces on her toes. “Can I, Daddy?”
“Just one, then I want you to eat some real food.”
She nods seriously. “I’ll even eat my broccoli.”
